Mireille KALLASSY AWAD

Professor
Coordinateur cursus master - TI et CMI/Second représentant au Conseil de l'Université - FS - Faculty of Science

+961 (1) 421 000 ext 3381 mireille.kallassy@usj.edu.lb

Mireille Kallassy is full professor (HDR) in molecular and cellular biology at the Faculty of Sciences, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Department of Life and Earth Sciences. She is the head of a Research Team, within the Biodiversity and Functional Genomics Laboratory of the Research Unit: Environment, Genomics, and Proteomics UR-EGP. An accomplished academic and innovator, she has led initiatives in higher education, including establishing advanced master's programs in industrial Technology and a master of engineering CMI, mentoring startups, and cofounding the Lebanese Human Tissue Bank and a startup for biopesticides production. She is a sworn expert with the Lebanese courts in the fields of health and microbiology. Holder of two patents and author of numerous scientific publications, she has supervised and mentored multiple Ph.D. students, fostering innovation and academic excellence in her field. Recipient of prestigious accolades including the Award for Career Excellence in Scientific Research 2016 from the Lebanese Association for the Advancement of Science (LAAS) and the Innovation Prize from the Lebanese Industrial Research Institute's Center for Innovation and Technology (2013) for pioneering work in biopesticide production.

Education

Degree	University	Country	Year
Doctorat - Génie biologique et médical	Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I)	France	1998
D.E.A - Génie biologique et médical	Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I)	France	1994
Licence - chimie	Université Libanaise	Liban	1993
Maitrise - Physiologie	Université Libanaise	Liban	1992
Licence - biologie	Université Libanaise	Liban	1990

Research themes

Biopesticides: Characterization and Production (Spin-off Production)

Study of Various Aspects of Virulence in Bacteria, Host/pathogen interaction

Molecular Analysis of Yeasts, Fungi, and Bacteria and Study of Their Capacity to Produce Bioactive Molecules

Culture of Primary Cells and Tissue Reproduction In Vitro

Preparation of Human Tissues and Organs for Transplantation

Publications and communications

Carine Mouawad, Mireille Kallassy Awad, Samuel Liegeois, Dominique Ferrandon, Vincent Sanchis-Borja, Laure El Chamy. The NF-κB factor Relish is essential for the epithelial defenses protecting against δ-endotoxin dependent effects of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis infection in the Drosophila model. Res Microbiol 2023 20 June 2023, 104089 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104089

Rita Barssoum, Gabrielle Al Kassisa, Rayan Nasseredinea, Jihane Saada, Meriem El Ghould, Joanna Abboud, Nancy Fayad, Stéphanie Dupoiron, Julien Cescut, César Arturo Aceves-Lara, Luc Fillaudeau, Mireille Kallassy Awad. Biochemical limitations of Bacillus thuringiensis based biopesticides production in a wheat bran culture medium. Res Microbiol 2023 Feb 8;104043. doi: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104043

Nancy Fayad, Joanna Abboud, Fatma Driss, Nicolas Louka and Mireille Kallassy Awad. Optimization of Culture Conditions and Wheat Bran Class Selection in the Production of Bacillus thuringiensis- Based Biopesticides. Fermentation 2022, 8(12), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8120666

Fayad, N., Kambris, Z., El Chamy, L., Mahillon, J., & Kallassy Awad, M. (2020). A new non-cytolytic anti-dipteran Bacillus thuringiensis strain: Unusual Cry toxin genes in a highly dynamic plasmid environment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2021 Volume 87 Issue 5 e02294-20. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02294-20.

Fayad Nancy, Kallassy Awad Mireille, Mahillon Jacques. Diversity of Bacillus cereus sensu lato mobilome. BMC Genomics. 2019 May 29;20(1):436. doi: 10.1186/s12864-019-5764-4.

Awards and distinctions

Award for Career Excellence In Scientific Research